Rhododendron plant named ‘HOMLEA’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Rhododendron  cultivar named ‘HOMLEA’ is disclosed, characterized by large white flowers, and a distinctive upright, narrow plants. Plants bloom Spring, Summer and Fall and maintain a low mature height. The new cultivar is a  Rhododendron,  suitable for ornamental garden purposes.

Latin name of the genus and species: Rhododendron hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘HOMLEA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program by theinventor, Robert Edward Lee. The inventor's intention was to developcompact growing Rhododendron hybrid plants with re-bloomingcharacteristics. This new variety, hereinafter referred to as ‘HOMLEA’,was discovered as a seedling, resulting from the crossing ofRhododendron ‘Watchet’, unpatented with the pollen parent Rhododendron‘Conleb’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,581. The cross was performed during1996, and the new variety selected during Fall of 2002 in Independence,La.

After identifying the new variety as a potentially interestingselection, the inventor first organized propagation of ‘HOMLEA’ byvegetative cuttings during the Fall of 2002 at a commercial nursery inIndependence, La. The inventor continued confidential, controlledtesting and propagation, assessing stability of the uniquecharacteristics of this variety. Multiple generations have beenreproduced and have shown that the unique features of this cultivar arestable and reproduced true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘HOMLEA’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length, and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype. The followingtraits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the uniquecharacteristics of ‘HOMLEA’ These characteristics in combinationdistinguish ‘HOMLEA’ as a new and distinct Rhododendron cultivar:

-   -   1. Unique Spring, Summer, and Fall blooming.    -   2. Clear white flowers.    -   3. Easily propagated with semi-hardwood cuttings in late Spring        through the Summer.    -   4. Good specimen plant.    -   5. Good container plant.    -   6. Very good foundation plant.    -   7. Vigorous growth under normal fertilization and moisture        conditions.    -   8. Hardy to Zone 7.    -   9. Attracts butterflies.    -   10. Unique upright growth.    -   11. Branches grow at acute angles.    -   12. Large, single flowers.

COMPARISON TO PARENT VARIETY

‘HOMLEA’ is similar in most horticultural characteristics to the parentvariety Rhododendron hybrid ‘Watchet’. Plants of the new cultivar‘HOMLEA’ however, produce flowers that are white in coloration, comparedto the pale pink flowers of the seed parent variety. Additionally, planthabit of ‘HOMLEA’ is overall more upright and less compact than‘Watchet’.

‘HOMLEA’ is similar in most horticultural characteristics to the parentvariety Rhododendron hybrid ‘CONLEB’. Plants of the new cultivar‘HOMLEA’ however, produce flowers that are white in coloration, comparedto the red flowers of the pollen parent variety. Additionally, planthabit is overall more upright and narrower in the new variety than thepollen parent.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

‘HOMLEA’ can be compared to the commercial variety Rhododendron hybrid‘Mootum’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,416. Plants of the new cultivar ‘HOMLEA’are similar to plants of ‘Mootum’ in most horticultural characteristics,however, plants of the new cultivar ‘HOMLEA’ are significantly smallerat a mature age, and form a more upright, less spreading plant than‘Mootum’. Flowers of the new variety are single, whereas flowers of‘Moontum’ are semi-double.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color a closeup of typical flowers of the new variety.

The photograph was taken using conventional techniques and althoughcolors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectanceit is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart 2007 except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe ‘HOMLEA’ plants grown outdoors in Loxley, Ala.Plants are approximately 3 years old, in a 3 gallon nursery container.Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical planttypes.

-   Botanical classification: Rhododendron hybrid ‘HOMLEA’.

PROPAGATION

-   Typically by semi-hardwood cuttings in Spring and Summer.-   Root description: Fine, fibrous young roots, well branched. Colored    near RHS Grey-Brown 199A.

PLANT

-   Growth habit: Compact globular shrub.-   Height: Approximately 50 cm to top of foliar and flowering plane.-   Plant spread: Approximately 38 cm.-   Branching characteristics: Well branched, approximately 8 primary    branches from the center of the plant. Branches occur at acute    angles, forming a very upright, dense plant. Angle of primary    branches approximately 15° from center of plant. Each primary    branches has 4 to 10 lateral branches.    -   -   Primary branches.—Length of Primary Branches: Average 25 cm.            Diameter of Primary Branches: Approximately 0.6 cm. Primary            Branch Strength: Very strong, difficult to break. Primary            Branch Color: Near RHS Yellow-Green 152D, with age, covered            with a thin bark like layer colored near Grey-Brown N199D.            Primary Branch texture: Young growth hirsute, hairs,            approximately 0.15 cm long, colored near Yellow-Green 151B.            Older growth scaly, hirsute. Hairs colored near White 155D.        -   Lateral branches.—Number of Lateral Branches: Approximately            4 to 10 per primary branch. Length of Lateral Branches:            Average 12 cm. Diameter of Lateral Branches: Average            0.35 cm. Lateral Branch Strength: Very strong, flexible.            Lateral Branch Color: Near RHS Yellow-Green 152D. Lateral            Branch texture: Hirsute. Internode length: Range between 0.8            to 3.0 cm. Age of Plant Described: Approximately 2 years.

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:    -   -   Type.—Simple.        -   Arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Average length.—Approximately 3.8 cm.        -   Average width.—Approximately 1.7 cm.        -   Shape of blade.—Oblanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Broad attenuate.        -   Attachment.—Blunt.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture of top surface.—Pubescent. Hairs appressed.        -   Texture of bottom surface.—Pubescent. More hairs present            along main vein and margin.        -   Foliage scent.—None.        -   Color.—Young foliage upper side: Near RHS Green 137B. Young            foliage under side: Near RHS Green 138A. Mature foliage            upper side: Near RHS Green 137A. Mature foliage under side:            Near RHS Green 138A.-   Venation:    -   -   Type.—Pinnate.        -   Venation color upper side.—Near RHS Yellow-Green N144A.        -   Venation color under side.—Near RHS Greyed-Orange 176C.-   Petiole:    -   -   Length.—About 1.1 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 0.25 cm.        -   Color.—Upper Surface: Near RHS Yellow-Green N144C, Lower            Surface: Near RHS Greyed-Orange 164B.

FLOWER

-   Bloom period: Plants flower in the Spring, then begin intermittent    flowering cycles in late Spring/Summer through Fall.-   Flower:    -   -   Arrangement.—Axillary clusters of perfect, open funnel            shaped individual flowers. Typically 4 to 10 flowers per            cluster.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Height.—Average 10.0 cm.        -   Diameter.—Average 11.0 cm.-   Peduncle:    -   -   Length.—Average 1.7 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.3 cm.        -   Color.—Near RHS Yellow-Green 152D.        -   Texture.—Densely pubescent.        -   Aspect.—Straight to very slightly curved. Angle of            attachment, approximately 15° angle from stem.-   Flowers:    -   -   Length.—Average 5.0 cm.        -   Diameter.—Average 7.5 cm.        -   Facing direction.—Outwardly and upwardly facing.        -   Persistent or self-cleaning.—Petals self cleaning.        -   Fragrance.—None.-   Tube:    -   -   Tube length.—Approximately 2.0 cm.        -   Tube width a widest point.—Approximately 2.1 cm.        -   Tube width and narrowest point.—Approximately 1.1 cm.-   Petals:    -   -   Unfused petal segments.—        -   Length.—Approximately 3.0 cm.        -   Width.—Approximately 3.1 cm.        -   Apex.—Retuse.        -   Shape of petal.—Unfused portion, obovate.        -   Petal margin.—Entire. Ruffled aspect along margin.        -   Petal arrangement.—Approximately ⅓ fused from base.        -   Petal number.—5.        -   Petal texture.—Smooth.        -   Color.—Upper surface at first opening: Near RHS White 155A.            Under surface at first opening: Near RHS White 155A. Inner            surface at maturity: Near RHS White N155A. Outer surface at            maturity: Near RHS White N155A. Upper surface at fading:            Near RHS White 155A. Under surface at fading: Near RHS White            155A.-   Bud:    -   -   Shape.—Elliptic.        -   Length.—2.9 cm.        -   Diameter.—1.1 cm.        -   Color.—Near RHS White 155A.-   Calyx/sepals:    -   -   Quantity per flower.—5 sepals.        -   Shape.—Narrow deltate.        -   Length.—0.9 cm.        -   Width.—0.3 cm.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Fused.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture.—Highly pubescent.        -   Color.—Inner Surface: Near RHS Yellow-Green 144A. Outer            Surface: Near RHS Yellow-Green 144B.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   Stamens:    -   -   Number.—10.        -   Length.—3.5 cm.        -   Width.—0.1 cm.        -   Color.—Near RHS Green-White N157D, base Green 142C.        -   Anthers.—Length: Approximately 0.3 cm. Color: Near RHS            Yellow-Green 145C. Pollen: Not observed to date.-   Pistil:    -   -   Number.—1.        -   Length.—5.1 cm.        -   Style.—Length: 4.7 cm. Color: Near RHS Green-White 157C.        -   Stigma.—Globular, colored near Yellow-Green 145B.        -   Ovary.—Sericeous texture. Approximately 0.3 cm in diameter.            Colored near Yellow-Green 145A. Hairs colored near White            155A.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Disease and pest resistance: Not observed to be susceptible nor    resistant to normal diseases and pests of Rhododendron hybrid.-   Temperature tolerance: USDA Zone 6.-   Fruit/seed production: Not observed to date.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Rhododendron plantnamed ‘HOMLEA’ as herein illustrated and described.